[Gremlin Lad]

Sunday 2/20/2011


Jockey Eibar Coa underwent approximately six hours of surgery Saturday at Memorial Regional Hospital on his C4 vertebrae, which was broken in a spill following the finish of Friday's 6TH race at Gulfstream Park.

Family spokesperson Tito Fuentes, Coa's agent, said Coa came out of the surgery well and was able to move his hands.

"After the operation the doctors said they were encouraged," Fuentes said. "He was moving his hands, and that's a great sign."

On Saturday morning, prior to the surgery, Fuentes reported that Coa had feeling in his body -- but no motion -- and was alert and talking.

Terry Meyocks, national manager of the Jockeys' Guild, also commented on Coa's status.

"Eibar had some feeling (Friday) night as well," Meyocks said. "So we're hoping he will continue improving.

"The main thing is Eibar is at the best possible hospital and getting the best possible care."

Coa had been visited throughout the evening and morning by a number of fellow riders and horsemen.

Jockey Paco Lopez, who was also unseated from his mount in the spill, was treated for an elbow chip and was released from the hospital Friday evening. Before being released, Lopez spent several hours with Coa.

"Eibar and his family are in the thoughts and prayers of the entire Gulfstream and racing community," Gulfstream President and General Manager Steve Calabro said.

[Seattle Slew]

Hope he can recover. He was supposed to ride Derby contender Muchu Macho Man Saturday at FG, who won.

[zebra58]

didn't know it was that bad, also bad spill at hawthorn friday 10 minutes before the one @gp don't know if the jocks came out o.k,

[ukbro00]

Any comment from his wife? Specifically something about Karma?

[gtkid911]

heard he cant doesnt have feeling in his feet

[TonyP]

pray he recovers

[zebra58]

Any comment from his wife? Specifically something about Karma?

[sq764]

Any comment from his wife? Specifically something about Karma?

hmm, not sure if this comment is crude or appropriate

[gtkid911]

Coa was accused of beating his wife last month

[Gremlin Lad]

Tuesday Feb 22, 2011


Jockey Eibar Coa's condition was stable Monday morning at Regional Memorial Hospital in South Florida where he remains after suffering a broken C4 vertebrae in a spill following Friday's 6TH race. According to family spokesperson Tito Fuentes, Coa's agent, the jockey was scheduled to undergo surgery Monday on a broken wrist suffered in Friday's spill. Coa is expected to undergo additional surgery later this week on his C4 vertebrae. Fuentes reiterated that Coa has movement in his hands and shoulders. He also added that Coa has feeling in his legs but is unable to move them...

[TonyP]

Tuesday Feb 22, 2011


Jockey Eibar Coa's condition was stable Monday morning at Regional Memorial Hospital in South Florida where he remains after suffering a broken C4 vertebrae in a spill following Friday's 6TH race. According to family spokesperson Tito Fuentes, Coa's agent, the jockey was scheduled to undergo surgery Monday on a broken wrist suffered in Friday's spill. Coa is expected to undergo additional surgery later this week on his C4 vertebrae. Fuentes reiterated that Coa has movement in his hands and shoulders. He also added that Coa has feeling in his legs but is unable to move them...

Glad he has feeling in his leg.

[Gremlin Lad]

Thursday, February 24, 2011


Jockey Eibar Coa, who suffered a broken C4 vertebrae in the same spill as Paco Lopez, remains at Memorial Regional Hospital where his condition is unchanged.

Coa underwent surgery on a wrist he broke in the spill and was scheduled to undergo surgery on his C4 later this week...

[BBROBOZO]

Thanks for the updates
Glad to see some information on this .
Real glad to see someone take the time and effort to post news about the sport that I love the most .

[dugbug15]

that certainly was a nasty spill. i saw it at my simulcast site.he's seems to be a determined jock.i'm sure he will be back in the thick of it all at some point in time.

[unusialsusp5]

he is replaceable. he made enough money. time to hang it up. more time to beat his wife. maybe she can return the favor and pound him while he is his wheelchair.

[str]

he is replaceable. he made enough money. time to hang it up. more time to beat his wife. maybe she can return the favor and pound him while he is his wheelchair.

WOW.

[TonyP]

He can move his arms and has feeling in his feet now.

[TonyP]

he is replaceable. he made enough money. time to hang it up. more time to beat his wife. maybe she can return the favor and pound him while he is his wheelchair.

you dont know his situation and he has not been found guilty of anything yet. What he does at home has nothing to do with how he rode horses.

[BBROBOZO]

Thanks for the updates
Glad to see some information on this .
Real glad to see someone take the time and effort to post news about the sport that I love the most .

I'm surprised that I didn't get a smart azz reply , you know I left the door wide open for it .
I expected something like ....You mean wife beating is your most loved sport .

[Gremlin Lad]

Jockey Coa Recovering from Second Surgery

Updated: Saturday, February 26, 2011 9:07 AM
Posted: Friday, February 25, 2011 11:11 AM


Read more: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...#ixzz1FDGJOkPQ

Jockey Eibar Coa was resting comfortably the morning of Feb. 25 after undergoing a second surgery on his C4 vertebrae, which was broken Feb. 18 in a spill after the running of the sixth race at Gulfstream Park.

According to family spokesman and agent Tito Fuentes, Coa was in good spirits following surgery a 4 ½-hour surgery Feb. 25 and, along with being able to move his arms, had some movement in his feet.

“Everything went well,” Fuentes said. “Eibar was fine Thursday night. He was in a little pain, but that’s to be expected. I think right now it’s going to be a matter of how he progresses over the next few days.”

Along with the surgeries on his broken C4 vertebrae, Coa had surgery earlier in the week to repair a broken wrist suffered in the spill.

[BBROBOZO]

I always thought he was a tough jockey , when he was in New York , I thought he was a top jock and I bet on him serveral times .... I know that he made me money !!
Thanks Gremblin Lad for the update !

[sq764]

this is such a dangerous occupation, sometimes i think we all forget it (me included).. guys like borel that shoot the rail like a maniac are tough as nails and we should appreciate that

[sq764]

more good news, he can feel handsd and feet

[Jay Price]

Good news. Good rider.

[str]

Jockeys are pound for pound, some of the toughest people I have ever met.

[TonyP]

from ntra

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Dean Reeves, principal owner of Kentucky Derby hopeful Mucho Macho Man, presented injured jockey Eibar Coa a check for $18,000 Thursday night at Memorial East Regional Hospital in Hollywood, Fla. The sum is the equivalent to the winning rider’s share for Mucho Macho Man’s recent victory in the Grade 2 Risen Star at the Fair Grounds.

Coa, Mucho Macho Man’s regular jockey, was scheduled to ride the colt in the Risen Star. But he was unable to keep that engagement after fracturing the C4 vertebra in his neck in a spill that occurred shortly past the finish line of the sixth race at Gulfstream Park the day before the Risen Star.

Rajiv Maragh replaced Coa and rode Mucho Macho Man to victory in the Risen Star.

“I thought about doing this right after we won the Risen Star,” said Reeves, 59, the CEO of the Atlanta-based Reeves Contracting Co. “Eibar was still a part of the team and had done a lot of work setting the horse up to win a race like that. I spoke with my partners about paying him a share of the purse as if he was the jockey of record, and they agreed.”

Reeves owns Mucho Macho Man in partnership with the Dream Team Racing Stable.

Reeves, who was accompanied by Tim Ritvo, the wife of Mucho Macho Man’s trainer, Kathy Ritvo, and the vice president of racing at Gulfstream Park, said the scene in Coa’s hospital room was an emotional one on Thursday.

“When something like this happens, the first thing you think about is how are you going to be able to take care of your family financially,” Reeves said. “By giving Eibar the money, we felt it would be a lift for him in that regard as well as letting him know we still thought of him as part of the team and that he has all our support. Eibar had tears in his eyes when we presented him the check and Tim and I had watery eyes ourselves.”

Reeves said Coa, who has undergone two surgeries on his neck and two on his broken hand since the accident, was in good spirits and looking forward to being moved from his room into the rehabilitation center at the hospital within the next several days.

“He’s very positive, very determined, and has made a lot of good improvement even in the last week,” said Reeves. “He could pick up his left leg and move his right leg a little. I could see the muscle twitch and contract, which is a good sign. And his voice was much louder and his speed much improved since I saw him the other day. He said he was happy for Rajiv and really pulling for all of us in the Derby. It was a great moment in there, very encouraging.”

Presenting Coa with the $18,000 check was not the first magnanimous gesture by Reeves, who donated 80 mattresses to the grooms and hotwalkers whose rooms were destroyed when a section of the Gulfstream Park barn area was flooded in December of 2009.

“Dean is an extraordinary individual who doesn’t want to be recognized but needs to be recognized for his generosity,” said Ritvo.

[Gremlin Lad]

A very BIG JESTER.......

Coa gets $18,000 check from Mucho Macho Man owner

Jockey Eibar Coa received a visit Thursday evening from a special friend with a special gift.
Coa, the regular rider of Kentucky Derby (G1) contender MUCHO MACHO MAN (Macho Uno) before breaking a vertebra in a spill on February 18, was visited by the colt's majority owner Dean Reeves. During an emotional visit, Reeves presented Coa with a check for $18,000. The sum signified the amount of money Coa would have received had he been aboard Mucho Macho Man for his victory February 19 in the Risen Star (G2) at Fair Grounds.

Reeves made the presentation to Coa at Memorial Regional Hospital while accompanied by Gulfstream's VP of Racing, Tim Ritvo.

[str]

Very classy move .

[Gremlin Lad]

Monday March 7, 2011


Reeves quotes.....

But last Friday, Reeves visited Coa in the hospital where the rider has already undergone two additional surgeries and presented with him a check for $18,000 -- the equivalent of the winning rider's share of the Risen Star purse of $300,000.

"You know, right after that race, I talked about that idea with my wife, Patti, and we both agreed it was the right thing to do," Reeves said. "Eibar has been an important part of our team since the beginning. I remember after he got off the horse the first time he ever worked him he said, 'This is going to be the horse that takes me to the Kentucky Derby.' I know what the horse means to Eibar. Now he's going to be our biggest cheerleader, and now he's rooting for Rajiv and Rajiv is rooting for him.


"I was amazed how much better Eibar looked after only a week," Reeves said of their Friday meeting. "I didn't really know what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised. His color was good, his spirit was good and he seemed deeply appreciative of our visit. We brought him a copy of The Blood-Horse with Mucho Macho Man on the cover and he seemed to enjoy that, too.

"Most of all, I could watch him move his left arm a little and I could see decent movement out of his left leg. His right leg was a little weaker, but I could see the muscles around his knee twitching when he tried to move it and I think that's a very good sign. I always try to think positive thoughts and with that in mind I'm going to say that I think he's going to walk again. I don't know how long that may take, but I think it's going to happen.